Blog | Language, Learning and Culture

Idioms from Around the World

A friend asks you if something will ever get done, and you reply, "when pigs fly."

If your friend has lived in an English-speaking culture for any length of time, they'll probably understand that this means "never."

The statement might make little sense if literally translated into another language.

Though their figurative meaning might differ from the literal, idioms have an important role to play in language and communication. They'll amplify your message in a way that draws your audience in and helps to awaken their senses.

Knowing idioms in other languages is the difference between mechanically parroting a series of words in a grammatically correct fashion, and beginning to "think" in that language.

Idioms can also be a clue to the customs and values of a foreign culture.

Besides, they're cool. The first time you use a foreign idiom, to the evident appreciation of a native speaker, is one of triumph.